I’ve been a big fan of the Mission: Impossible movie series ever since Brian De Palma’s
initial version hit the big screen in 1996. After a subpar offering from John
Woo in 2000, J.J. Abrams took over, giving us a superior third installment.
Abrams stayed on ever since, producing MI:
Ghost Protocol in 2012 and this week’s release of MI: Rogue Nation. The star power attraction to the series comes
from Tom Cruise, who hasn’t lost a step playing Ethan Hunt, the secret agent
who always seems to get the best of global bad guys.

The story begins as Impossible Missions Force (IMF) is
dismantled by the U.S. government at the insistence of CIA chief Huntley (Alec
Baldwin). Hunt is forced into hiding, while Benji (Simon Pegg) and Brandt
(Jeremy Renner) are forced to take on new roles in the CIA. Hunt, in the
meantime, is on the trail of the “Syndicate,” a secret “anti-IMF” cabal led by
the notorious Solomon Lane, a former British intelligence agent gone rogue.
Hunt is captured by Lane, but is aided in his escape by Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson),
another British agent working undercover in the Syndicate. At first, he’s
forced to work on his own but Hunt eventually enlist Benji and Brandt’s help as
he gets closer to Lane, who’s trying to get ahold of a secret file that will
allow him to create chaos across the globe while exploiting countries’ riches.
Through several capers, chases and fights, Hunt works with his old team and
Ilsa to confront Lane and outwit him.

Mission: Impossible –
Rogue Nation is a serviceable action thriller, with plenty of exciting scenes
and clever plot twists one would expect in an MI movie. One scene in particular stands out: an attempted
assassination on the Austrian prime minister that takes place during Puccini’s
Turnadot opera in a Viennese theater. The music and choreography are precise
and clever, utilizing great stunt work and camera angles. There is another
spectacular motorcycle chase that is equally brilliant.

Even with the great action and good performances from
Cruise, Pegg and others, there are a few flaws that render Rogue Nation a little less appealing that Ghost Protocol (directed by Brad Bird). Christopher McQuarrie (who
also directed Cruise in Jack Reacher and Edge of Tomorrow), does a fine job of
bringing the action together, but perhaps misses on some of the character
chemistry and camaraderie seen in previous MI
movies. The end scene/confrontation with the villain is also a little
anticlimactic. Another noticeable absence is Jane (Paula Patton), who was
supposed to part of Hunt’s team at the end of Ghost Protocol. Her deletion from the cast that worked so well in MI:4 is conspicuous, leaving a lot of
dudes on screen. Another slight confusion is the casting of the lovely and
talented Rebecca Ferguson, who looks a lot like Bridget Monaghan, who played
Hunt’s wife in MI:3 & 4. You kind of expect her to rip off a
mask, revealing she’s really the wife – but that never happens.

Even with its flaws, Mission:
Impossible – Rogue Nation is great summer escape action movie that will get
audience hearts beating – and keep the franchise going a little longer.